(Russian Journalist) Anna Politkovskaya Murdered in Moscow

Grani.ru ^ | October 7th, 2006

[struwwelpeter]

Anna Politkovskaya, the famous journalist and political commentator from Novaya Gazeta was killed in Moscow. This was reported by Novaya Gazeta's chief editor Dmitri Muratov to the radio station Echo of Moscow.

The murder occurred around 5 in the evening on Lesnaya Street, where Politkovskaya lived. An unknown man in dark clothing shot her with a pistol.

A police source reported to Interfax that a neighbor of the journalist found her body in the elevator. Police also found a discarded Makarov pistol and four empty cartridges.

Politkovskaya's home is now cordoned off by the police, reported ITAR-TASS. The police are questioning residents, trying to find out if anyone heard the shots or saw any suspicious characters in the stairwell.

According to Moscow prosecutor Yuriy Semin, a criminal case has been opened. Police are looking for a young man, slightly taller than average, with a thin body build. He may be wearing a dark baseball cap.

Igor Yakovenko, the general secretary of the Russian Journalists Union told Echo of Moscow that Politkovskaya was an absolutely fearless individual. Without fail, she was 'number one' in investigating dangerous subjects, and the took on even the most challenging problems.

Politkovskaya was threatened one several occasions. In September of 2001 she published an article in Novaya Gazeta, titled 'The Missing People', which discussed the fate of Chechen Zelimhan Murdalov, who was arrested in Chechnya by the Hanty-Mansiysk special police early in 2001, then later disappeared. Afterwards the journalist began to receive theatening emails from a certain 'Cadet'. 'Cadet' was the nickname of Sergei Lapin, an officer of the Hanty-Mansiysk special police, and the officer who questioned Murdalov after his arrest. Lapin was later arrested, but the charges were dropped.

In September of 2004, while the tragic events in the Beslan school were taking place, Anna Politkovskaya tried to fly to Beslan. As Politkovskaya said, she was "removed from the field" so that she could not offer her plan to remedy the situation. (Struwwelpeter note: she was alleged to have been poisoned while waiting for her flight from Rostov.)

Politkovskaya worked as a commentator for Novaya Gazeta since 1999. Several times she travelled to combat zones and refugee camps in Dagestan, as well as Ingushetia and Chechnya. In addition, Politkovskaya worked in human rights: she assisted the mothers of dead soldiers in court, investigated corruption in the Russian ministry of defense and in the headquarters of the unified federal forces in Chechnya. Politkovskaya's last article in Novaya Gazeta, "Punitive agreement", described the composition and activitives of the Chechen forces, which fight on the side of federal forces.

07.10.2006 17:50

[struwwelpeter]

Anna Politkovskaya also entered the Dubrovka theater in Moscow during the hostage situation in October of 2002, delivering food and beverages to the hostages. She also assisted several of the former hostages from there, during their days in court.

One of the former theater hostages, freeper 'Svni', was to fly to Moscow next week to meet with Anya, to discuss the upcoming anniversary of the theater tragedy.

Freeper 'Svni' has several Novaya Gazeta articles on her home page by Anna Politkovskaya.

Several years ago, back when President Bush was looking into Putin's eyes and finding a friend there, Anna Politkovskaya wrote an insulting article about the Bush-Putin meeting, called "Cowboy Friends". That turned me off to her, but recent history has proven her and 'Svni' correct about Putin and Russia.

As a peace offering, when 'Svni' was travelling to Moscow to see Anna Politkovskaya last year, I sent her off with an expensive desk set from the US Supreme Court gift shop. 'Svni' reported that at first Anya wanted nothing of the sort, but once the box was opened, she said "Oy! Hochu!" (I want it!).

The world will be a little emptier without Anna Politkovskaya.

[Lunatic Fringe]

The KGB is alive and well in Russia.

[BallyBill]

Terrible! I keep hearing disturbing news from Russia and hoping it's just some rogue elements and throwbacks. That is beginning to sound naive.

[Rushmore Rocks]

Another article about this brave lady.

[operation clinton cleanup]

An unknown man in dark clothing shot her with a pistol.

[AIM-54]

Yep, 'Vladimir Putin' is about all one can say about it.

[struwwelpeter]

During my pre-FR days I was living in St. Petersburg. A crusading city representative named Galina Starovoitova was shot in the stairwell of her apartment, also by an unknown assailtant.

What never made the internation news, was that the police recovered a pistol that they claimed was only used by US special forces and intelligence agents.

Starovoitova was investigating a scandal involving the city cemetary, which took place during the reign of Anatoly Sobchak, the city mayor until 1998. Relatives of those interred were being threatened with having their departed loved ones dug up and cremated if a large surcharge wasn't paid.

Supposedly a certain aid of the former mayor was directly involved. His name: Vladimir Putin.

[Leisler]

"What never made the international news, was that the police recovered a pistol that they claimed was only used by US special forces and intelligence agents."

Did anyone believe this bunk? American agents running around St. Pete's zotsing female journalist and using a distinctive pistol? Did they leave empty McDonald's coffee cups in the hallway too?

So the cops lied. Why? Must of been in on it, or knew who and did a little favor.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Clinton and Putin seem to have a lot in common. Political foes and potential witnesses seem to die before their time.

[Condor51]

****The KGB is alive and well in Russia.****

It's interesting you say that. As it was my thought when I read this:

Police also found a discarded Makarov pistol and four empty cartridges.

The Makarov was the official sidearm of the KGB and all USSR satellite countries Secret Police agencies. I have one once used by the East German Stassi. And Makarov's used by the Bulgarian Secret Police, and even KGB are also available now (legally in the USA).

I'm sure after the fall of the USSR Mak's can be found on the black market in Russia, but it set of my alarm bell.

[struwwelpeter]

I think more interesting was: who could have access to such a weapon? A former intelligence officer?

[Condor51]

See my post #11.

The Makarov was the official sidearm of the KGB and USSR satellite country Secret Police agencies.

[rwfromkansas]

While I never heard of her, RIP.

You did good work.

[struwwelpeter]

Makarov is probably the Ford of weapons these days.

When I was going through some papers from the theater crisis, I found a list of serial numbers from weapons recovered from the dead terrorists. One of them had been sold to a US company and exported out of Russia in 1995.

How did it get into the hands of a dead terrorist? Most likely it had been snatched from a crate at the airport, and sold black market, or added to someone's stash of 'throwaways'.

[BIGLOOK]

Supposedly a certain aid of the former mayor was directly involved. His name: Vladimir Putin.

The beginnings of Putin's political career after years of service in the KGB in Dresden. Hand picked by Solchak as Deputy Mayor; later hand picked by Yeltsin as successor to the presidency.


Wet work, Pete?

[PGalt]

Thanks for posting this article and sharing your experiences. Interesting.

[EternalVigilance]

[ASOC]

Dude, it's Russia, the cops are always involved and lie.....at least the local mafia stays bought.

What surprised me was that the building the victim lived in must have had a *working* elevator!

[taliesin52]

You can, for about $90 according to ads in the Shotgun News...